Nine months ago I wrote an article for the White House Press Room, regarding its 1000 day anniversary. If you like history, I recommend you check it out. The reason I mention the article is because at the end I steal a line from an amazing film, Dead Poet’s Society. That line is a truncation of the original words written by Henry David Thoreau in 'Walden'.

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion."

Read that again, because it really shows how Thoreau is one of the greatest Americans to ever put pen to paper.

Ok, now you've done re-read and maybe even understood Thoreaus’s lust for life, we can get to the marrow of why we are here. It's been a while since I've truly stepped out of the shadows in this game. I've been living apprehensively, and I failed in my own charge to all of you in that article I wrote. Today, I choose to live deliberately. I will be standing in the next Presidential election, and I intend to prove to this country that you can still push the envelope in this game.

My intentions are simple. I have compiled a list of things that goals that we would accomplish in the next month, and then a list of things I intend to pass on to my successors.

1. Push as far into FYROM as we can. We will shove our armies right up their a--. We will show them that America does not play around, and we will slap the crap out of anyone who screws with us or our allies.

2. Clarify our position in the world. Congress is currently debating our foreign policy situation, but I'm going to make it clear at home and abroad where we stand. I can't exactly say what that is or will be at the moment, because those types of decisions can only be made when all of the information is at hand. Only the President can give a complete answer there (assuming they aren't horrible at their job). My intention is to sit down with the leaders of our past and present allies, and to determine who our future allies will be. There will be no half measures. You will be with us 100%, or you will not be with us at all.

3. Identify and educate new players with promise. We have a lot of players in this game who would like to be in the position I am. One where the Presidency is attainable, and they can look back on their time in this game and know that they accomplished much of what they set out to, knowing that they did more right than wrong. I want to try to help them do this. I will request a list of five names from the Party Presidents of the AMP, iNCi, and Feds, people they feel have the potential to grow, learn, and potentially to lead.

4. Actively coordinate and lead an effort to combat the very real PTO threat we face in this country. I think everyone recognizes that the recent, and completely horrible, changes made to the political module by the administrators change how we have to come at this problem. Adapt or die. We shall adapt.

5. This one is more personal. I'm going to be an adult and shoot Cyber Witch a PM. I will request a sit down, where we can work out some sort of understanding between ourselves personally, and professionally. This needs doing, and I'm going to do it day one. We can't have past issues clouding the future as much as this one would.

I know a lot of this seems rather basic, but that's what we need to do. We need to get back to the basics of this game, including the little things like a dialogue between the President and the public. All Presidents see a jump in their in game mail, and I will personally respond to every one within 24 hours, even if only to say that I can't comment on something because work on it is ongoing.

I don't want to comment on anyone else standing in this election. I'm going to be like a horse with blinders on, just running my race. So when you sit down and consider who to support, I hope that you will support and vote for me. I am active on the forum, IRC, and basically anyone who has spent a month or two in the cabinet can reach me on my cell phone 24/7. I am knowledgeable in pretty much every aspect of the game, and I know how to run a government. I think my resume (which I'm not going to beat you over the head with) speaks for itself in that regard. As my friend Cerb might say ‘let Pfeiffer be Pfeiffer’ (yes, we quote The West Wing at each other a lot).

And finally, I'm going to dedicate the month to mending fences and building a unified front to combat the problems facing us as a country. In that vein, I've chosen someone to be my Vice President who will shock a lot of people when they hear the name. In the past we've been at each other’s throats, bitter rivals for a short period in 2009. Constantly bickering and the only thing we really agreed on was that the country needs to come first. However, in recent days, we have become incredibly good friends, and I have come to value her input very much. It is with no trepidation and a great deal of pride that I am announcing that fingerguns has agreed to be my Vice President (and in a real sense, not just in a title sense...there will be many conversations and arguments and consultations on the things we work on).

fingerguns was thrice elected President of the Federalist Party, and twice served the country as Chief of Staff. Her time in the Executive and Congress aside, her leadership of the Federalist Party brought it from the #6 party she and I cohabitated to the #2 party we saw as a leading force in new player education for well over a year. For those who know our history, this should show just how much the two of us are committed to finding a permanent solution to the problems that plague us. We are going to move forward, together.

I liked your article and I like chatting with you about life outside the game. As far as in the game, and that is the issue at hand, your integrity is questionable at best. Healing many past wounds might not be possible as you have created many of those wounds, and expecting the people hurt by them to be perpetually forgiving is not healthy. I look forward to seeing the new changed you around the game.

Wow, I came to this article with my mind already made up that I was going to dislike it. That I was going to vote Largo....but this is a VERY good platform, a good VP, and it is one of the best articles I've read in a while.....

I'm not saying that You have my vote, because the things you've done in the past will be a factor....but you're at least in the running for my vote now.

Pfeiffer is many things, but he is not a real life psychotic stalker with serious delusions in and out of the game. Of course I would speak to him before some nutbag that DOES have issues like that. Ingame villian > real life crazy person.

@ Pfeiffer, I would have liked to see you try to start mending fences before you decided to try to run for PotUS again.

When one has big things to do, you can't always afford politeness to get results. Am I saying it's right? No. Pfeiffer is Pfeiffer, but one thing you CANNOT EVER say about him is that he's not one of the most patriotic and hard-working players in the game.

You have to remember that some people play this game with a gamer's mentality. That does not mean that Pfeiffer will not listen to different opinions, but it DOES mean that if you come at him with half-assed opinions disguised as facts

While this is an excellent article, and you have a very strong platform, you may have been better served by getting this out earlier. Many of the party primaries are already in full swing, and you may not have enough time to get full consideration.

I do not like some of your past actions and tactics, but I will admit that you definitely know how to get shit done. I will throw your name into the AMP primary, although I don't know if anyone will second you.

or if you haven't done your homework, he won't call you on it. Sure, Pfeiff can be overbearing and bordering obsessive in regards to activity, (I blame the coffee,) but for every person yelling about him being rude to them, there's another new player he's been quietly helping out.

I don't think it's fair to judge him based on outside opinion, unless you've worked with him prior. I've worked with him when I was US CP in esim and during his term as CP as well.

One of the most eloquent articles I've ever read. Phoenix Quinn and Aeros would be proud, which is high praise from me if you understand that I hold them in the highest regards of media quality and information dissemination.

You are reading an article written by a citizen of eRepublik, an immersive multiplayer strategy game based on real life countries. Create your own character and help your country achieve its glory while establishing yourself as a war hero, renowned publisher or finance guru.